Taicang

Taicang is in East China, on the Yangtze River. Administratively, it is a county-level city within the prefecture-level city Suzhou. Population was about half a million as of 2019.

Taicang was the base of Zheng He's voyages to the West, and the birthplace of the Jiangnan Sizhu style of music and the Loudong school of painting. In legend, it was the birthplace of the mythical Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.

Understand

A canal in Taicang

Get in

By plane

There is no airport in Taicang. The nearest major airports are Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (both in Shanghai).

If you arrive at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, you can easily get a train to Taicang from the nearby Hongqiao Railway Station. The train only takes about 30 minutes. It is also possible to get a bus from the airport to Taicang, though the bus is a bit slower, taking between 1 and 3 hours depending on the route.

If you arrive at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, you will have to change buses or trains at Hongqiao or another place.

By train

There are two railway stations in Taicang:

• 1 Taicang Railway Station (太仓站), Suzhou East Road (苏州东路) (bus nos. 107, 109, 138, 202, 207, 208, 215, 302 and 309). (updated Jan 2024)
• 2 Taicang South Railway Station (太仓南站), Nanxing Road (南星路) (bus nos. 112, 121, 138, Tourist Bus 3, Tourist Bus 5, and Kunshan Bus C8). (updated Jan 2024)

By bus

• 3 Taicang Bus Station (太仓汽车客运站), 107 Taiping North Road (太平北路107号), ☏ +86 512 53522830. Taicang’s main central bus station. (updated Jan 2024)

See

• 1 Zheng He Park (郑和公园), 1 Nanhuan Rd, Fuqiao Town, Taicang Harbor District (太仓港区浮桥镇南环路1号) (take bus no. 318), ☏ +86 512 53232222. 08:30-17:00 (park), 09:00-16:20 (museum). A memorial park dedicated to Zheng He. It includes a museum and a replica of a treasure ship. ¥30. (updated Dec 2023)
• 2 Liuhe Tianfei Palace (浏河天妃宫), 90 Xindong St, Liuhe Town (浏河镇新东街90号) (bus nos. 201, 208, 209, 302, 309, 313, 315 and 501; take bus no. 302 if coming from Taicang Railway Station), ☏ +86 512 53611908. 08:00-17:00. An old Taoist temple that was founded during the Yuan Dynasty and rebuilt several times. The temple is famous for its association with Zheng He. Zheng He used to come here to pray to the sea goddess Tianfei (also known as Mazu) before embarking on his journeys from the nearby port. Free. (updated Dec 2023)
• 3 Taicang Museum (太仓博物馆), 100 Shanghai East Road (上海东路100号) (near the Taicang City Government building; take bus no. 115, 122, 138, 202, 207, Tourist Bus 1, Tourist Bus 3 or Tourist Bus 5), ☏ +86 512 53890911. 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:30, closed on Mondays. Free. (updated Jan 2024)